Hospitalists

Ann Shannon, MD

Dr. Shannon grew up in Auburn. After graduating from Auburn High School, she received a Chemical Engineering degree from the University of Tennessee. She went on to attend medical school at the UAB School of Medicine, graduating in 2001. Dr. Shannon completed her Internal Medicine residency at UAB. In 2004 she was appointed to the UAB General Medicine Teaching Faculty, where she worked for two years before joining IMA in 2006. She resides in Auburn with her family, including her two sons. Dr. Shannon serves as the Medical Director of the hospitalists.

Amanda Austin, MD

Dr. Austin grew up in Winder, Georgia. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Georgia in 2005 and her medical training at the Medical College of Georgia in 2012. She moved to Auburn after completion of residency to join the IMA Hospitalist group. Dr. Austin is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.

Ben Compton, MD

Dr. Compton grew up in various places across the country but settled in Auburn for most of high school graduating from Auburn High in 1999. He went on to major in Biomedical Science at Auburn University graduating in 2003. He attended medical school at the University of South Alabama and completed residency in Birmingham, AL with the Baptist Health System. He stayed on for an extra year as Chief Resident there from 2010-2011 before moving back to Auburn to join the Hospitalist group of IMA. He and his lovely wife live in Auburn with their two children.

Kendale Dixon, MD

Dr. Dixon is originally from the Savannah, Georgia area. He completed his undergraduate studies at Georgia Southern University where he majored in biology graduating with honors. He went on to complete his medical education at the Medical College of Georgia. He completed his residency at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta where he had the privilege to work at Grady Memorial Hospital. In his free time he loves to travel, fish and sports (Go Dawgs!).

Ben Drake, DO

Ben Drake, D.O. earned his medical degree from Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, and completed his residency at Merit Health Wesley, where he was named resident of the year and chief resident of internal medicine. Dr. Drake is originally from Dothan, Ala. He earned his undergraduate degree from Auburn University, and decided to move back to the area to practice medicine because of his fondness for the community and EAMC staff. He chose to pursue a career in internal medicine because of his passion for caring for patients in their greatest time of need. Dr. Drake and his wife have five children. In his spare time, Dr. Drake enjoys the outdoors, trips to the beach, and spending time with his wife, their children, and their dog.

David Erchak, MD

Dr. David Erchak was born in Kansas and raised in Kennesaw, Georgia. He received his medical degree from Medical College of Georgia in 1991. He attended the University of Alabama Birmingham where he completed his residency studying Internal Medicine in 1994. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and is a member of The American College of Physicians. He was previously employed at General Internal Medicine Group Practice at Emory Clark Holder Clinic in LaGrange, GA for 19 years. Dr. Erchak and his wife, Donna, enjoy caring for their eleven grandchildren. Some hobbies of his include playing the guitar, ukeleke, and the keyboard. He also enjoys photography editing.

Kevin Henderson, MD

Bilen Kassu, MD

Dr. Bilen Kassu was born in New York and raised in Orlando, Florida. She earned both her undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Florida in Gainesville. Dr. Kassu went on to complete her residency in Internal Medicine at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, where she trained at Grady Memorial Hospital and the Atlanta VA Medical Center. She is board certified in Internal Medicine.

Dr. Kassu is passionate about internal medicine because it allows her to build meaningful relationships with patients while managing a broad spectrum of health conditions.

In her spare time, Dr. Kassu enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends.

Kevin King, MD

Dr. Kevin King is from Columbus, Ohio and earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Ohio. He completed his residency at the University of Kentucky. Dr. King has been serving as a hospitalist for more than 20 years and is board certified in family medicine. Dr. King has been married for more than 24 years to his wife, Angela. Together, they have two children, Luke and Lily. When not working, Dr. King enjoys fitness, golf, and cinema.

Grant Nelson, MD

Dr. Nelson was born in Mobile, AL and earned his undergraduate degree in microbiology at Auburn University and Masters of Public Health in epidemiology at UAB. He then spent two years as a clinical researcher at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. Dr. Nelson graduated from medical school at VCOM in 2015 with honors. He completed internal medicine residency training at the University of Florida in Jacksonville, Fl where he was selected as the Edward Jelks Outstanding Resident Clinician, Internal Medicine Outstanding Senior Resident and Outstanding Resident Teacher. He is married to Dr. Heidi VanderVelde, a pediatrician in Auburn.

Steven Presley, MD

Dr. Presley grew up in Opp, AL and received his undergraduate degree from Auburn University. Dr. Presley is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine and received his Internal Medicine residency training at Baptist Health System (BHS) in Birmingham, AL. He has practiced Internal Medicine since 1998, including four years on the teaching faculty at BHS in Birmingham. Dr. Presley and his wife Leanne have two children, Ben and Annabeth.

Michael Roberts, MD

Dr. Roberts grew up in Opelika, graduating from Opelika High School in 1993. From there he went on to obtain his undergraduate degree from Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana, and then attended medical school at the University of Alabama School of Medicine (UAB), where he graduated in 2001. Dr. Roberts completed his Internal Medicine residency at UAB Hospital in 2004. He worked as a hospitalist at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Birmingham for four years before joining IMA in August 2008. He lives with his wife and two active boys in Opelika.

Greg Shields, MD

Gregory Shields, M.D. was raised in the Pacific Northwest near Seattle. He attended Vanderbilt University for medical school, then stayed there to train in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and critical care medicine, thereafter becoming board certified in all three. He practiced pulmonary and critical care medicine for two decades before transitioning to hospitalist medicine. Dr. Shields and his wife hobby in organic gardening and are active Ironman distance triathletes.

Chris Spiker, MD

Anna Zouhary, MD

Dr. Zouhary grew up in Graceville, Florida. She received a BS in Biology from Florida State University in 2001 before attending the University of Alabama Birmingham for Medical School. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine at UAB and worked briefly as faculty and as a hospitalist at UAB before she and her husband decided to make the move to the Auburn/Opelika area. She joined IMA in 2011 and she, her husband, Ken, and their daughters Kate, Lizzy, and Isabel are proud to now call Auburn/Opelika home.

Nikki Hamby, NP

Nikki Hamby grew up in Jackson’s Gap, Alabama. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Troy University in 2013. She then obtained her Master of Science in Nursing from University of South Alabama in 2018. She is certified as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She currently lives in Smiths Station with her husband.

Andrew Quinton, NP

Bio coming soon.

Joylyn Peters, NP